Brooks Hyperion Max 3 vs Brooks Hyperion Max 4

Ride profile: maximal cushion , firm_responsive feel , high energy return , neutral stability .

• Kofuzi considers the Hyperion Max 3 a pretty good shoe and strongly prefers it over the Max 4, finding it more pliable, less rigid, and more agreeable across a range of paces.

  In their words: "a little bit more pliable and a little bit more agreeable to run in"

  — Kofuzi , source

• Reviewer's favorite of the three Brooks Max shoes — bridges Brooks into the high-performance non-plated conversation alongside the Mizuno Neo Vista and HOKA Mach X.

  Ride:Best in class for non-carbon-plated high-cushion fast training shoes. 18-mile run felt great the whole way; over 100 miles in and it still looks and feels new.

  Fit:Surprisingly wider fit than expected; unique upper that works very well.

  — Run Moore , 100 mi tested , source

• A very different shoe from the Max 2 — now a big, bouncy max-stack super trainer that's great for marathon-pace long runs but lacks the snap for fast sessions and is overpriced given the weight.

  Ride:New DNA Gold + DNA Flash V2 setup is bouncier and more comfortable than the firmer Max 2; excels at marathon-pace cruising and long runs; weight and bulk work against it at faster paces; stability acceptable for the high stack

  Fit:True to size across all four testers; upper is closer and more racy than Max 2; booty-style design with reserved padding around laces and inside heel collar; some found it warm; one tester felt forefoot was unusually roomy

  In their words: "marathon pace, long run potential" · "much more close and hugging" · "I do think it's a limited shoe"

  — The Run Testers , 37 mi tested , source

• A well-built but confusingly heavy max-stack trainer whose bulky upper spoils the DNA Gold midsole; scored 9.1/12 overall, with the reviewer feeling Brooks should have trimmed the upper and weight like they did on the Hyperion Elite 5.

  Ride:Dense, controlling ride with the plate most noticeable in the heel and DNA Gold PEBA more prominent in the forefoot; feels locked into cruising pace and takes effort at half-marathon pace due to weight; stable but not particularly fun or propulsive.

  Fit:Constrictive upper, hard to get into, needs a shoe horn; shallow toe box height; booty-like construction does most of the lockdown; true to size with no need to go up a half size; better suited to normal-to-wide feet rather than narrow.

  In their words: "Hyperion overload rather than max" · "a bit of a Frankenstein model" · "quite a controlling shoe this one"

  — EDDBUD , source

Ride profile: maximal cushion , neutral stability .

• Fordy Runs found the Hyperion Max 4 essentially unchanged from the flawed v3 — too heavy, too expensive, and unstable in the heel for heel strikers and pronators — and recommends most buyers skip v4 in favor of a discounted v3 or another super trainer.

  Ride:The DNA Gold PEBA and DNA Flash 2 dual-foam setup feels soft and works well together under the forefoot at faster paces, but the shoe is heel-biased, clunky in the heel due to a decoupled section, and becomes unstable at easier paces or for mild pronators.

  Fit:Fits true to size (tested in UK 9.5) with no width or rubbing issues; large tongue gusset keeps the tongue secure and the lacing locked down well.

  In their words: "a bit of a Mickey take" · "it's like two shoes" · "stay away from version four"

  — FORDY RUNS , source

• A solid update that keeps what made the Hyperion Max 3 great, though the more traditional, slightly heavier upper makes it feel less like a race shoe and more like an everyday tempo performance trainer.

  Ride:Feels and looks fast enough that it's tempting to push the pace even on easy days.

  In their words: "looks like a fast shoe" · "putzing around shoes" · "a little too traditional"

  — Run Moore , source

• A surprise pick: a firmer ride than he usually likes but really nice to run in, with a plate giving a propulsive feel underfoot.

  In their words: "this one is kind of a shocker" · "a little bit propulsive feeling under foot"

  — Believe in the Run , source

• A significant step backward from the Hyperion Max 3, the Max 4 feels overly rigid and dense to the point that Kofuzi could not finish a threshold workout in it, and he only tolerates it at easy paces where its rolling geometry can work on its own terms.

  Ride:Very rigid and dense ride. PEBA top layer feels less soft and airy than the previous version. DNA Flash v2 bottom layer feels unnecessarily thick and more dense. The plastic plate makes the shoe extremely difficult to bend, creating a rocker-boot feel that resists natural foot flexion. Energy-sapping at all but easy paces; felt like it worked against the reviewer at threshold and up-tempo efforts.

  Fit:Fits true to size; same sizing recommendation as the Hyperion Max 3 despite slight differences in upper material thickness.

  In their words: "kind of like I'm running in a rockered boot" · "very rigid to me" · "energy sapping" · "popping me backwards"

  — Kofuzi , source